Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-30

.uo solid hours OF vast argu-
,vr"o WV victory perched upon my
Inf Sir Giles agreed that it was
, , and proper that |, being her mas:
ter and discoverer, so TO speak, should
hove the first chance Of winning the
ne,fect housekeeper 10 wife. One
calendar month was the time agreed
on between MS in which I was to try my
'nrentice hand at wooing. At the end
- that time, If unsuccessful, | was to
Loyalty step aside and let Sir Giles
make bis running. We cracked bot
ne of old port over the great matrimo-
NAL treaty and parted n little after
midnight, without a jar or crack In our
lifelong friendship.
| sank to sleep with the determine
ton Of losing no time in prosecuting
nv suit, but in the morning found
nv courage was unequal to the task.
So put 1t of, and put it of, day after
dav. and week after week. To be sue
cessful, love, like poetry, must be
made when one feels equal to it. When
the inspiration comes one can make up
for lost time. SO | told myself, and |
waited fer the coming Of the divine
moment and the divine mood. Alas
they did not seem in any great hurry
TO put in their appearance. Andat last
the final day OF grace arrived and found
me uninspired, inert, and sluggish.
What was to he done? Sir Giles would
hold me to time, end would go in like
a war-horse and carry her off before my
eyes | was in despair. Now, as many
q poor devil has discovered, despair Is
the next best thing to inspiration. In
my despair sent for Christine.
She came, and her first words were:
care you i'll, sir ?"
"Do l look ll?"
every, sir.
"Then doubtless / am"
"Sball get you something?"
"Thank you some courage"
"Some what, sir ?"
"Courage."
She laughed and looked hard at me
to see if l was out of my mind. proba-
bly,.
81 have more than / need. / wish |
could give you some of mine Is there
anything l can do for you? ?"
Yes, there is, if you will do it."
81 will if ! can, sir, with pleasure. "
"Then, just make me an offer OF
marriage. will you "
Again she laughed, and with sweet
blush said "You would not accept II
| did, sir"
81 will, indeed / will"
She hesitated a while, then she said
"If you please, Mr.. Strong-P- AIN,
would you like to marry me?"
/ looked at her; she was crimson
with confusion.
Isprang to my feet, and Selling her
hand, exclaimed Yes, yes, with all
my heart"
Then l told her all about the matri-
monial treaty, and how Sir Giless turn
would have to come tomorrow.
"But you are mine now, aren't you?
And come to think OF it, l DO love you.
/ believe loved you from the start. %
How she trembled as | took her in
my pms and kissed her, the sweet
thing!
Disengaging herself from me. she
said :" DO you know, there must be
mistake somewhere, for Sir Giles
couldn't marry me. liz is my 1U}cie q!
1t was he no persuaded me to answer
your advertisement -
Deorly tainted. Just then who
should march in hut Sir Giles himself.
What does this mean?" l thun-
dcrod.
Wheroupon he lightened brilliantly
and mercilcssly; he chaifed me and
laughed NE outrHgeously.
All, well, was not sorry TO be his
nephew; and | stuck to my bargain,
and married Christine in few weeks,
aDd she is as perfect a wife as she was
a housekeeper.
Such was the outcome of my first and
last advertisement. PAUL CUSHING.